FlightRecord

Detroit (DTW) to Lexington (LEX): On-Time Performance

Data through July 2026

Detroit (DTW) to Lexington (LEX) effectively runs on two schedules. In September 2024, 96% of arrivals were on time; in July 2025 that fell to 60% — a 37-point seasonal swing. Across the full period the route averages 81% on-time against a national 78%.

On-time
81%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
17 min
completed flights
Cancelled
1.1%
Flights/day
2.2
last 12 months
Duration
1h 20m
scheduled
Distance
296 mi

Best airline from DTW to LEX

2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
Republic Airwaysmost reliable88%8 min0.8%637
SkyWest Airlines78%22 min1.2%1,143

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for DTW to LEX flights50%75%100%August 2024: 86% on-time (77 flights)86Aug 2024September 2024: 96% on-time (80 flights)96October 2024: 91% on-time (84 flights)91November 2024: 84% on-time (82 flights)84Nov 2024December 2024: 85% on-time (78 flights)85January 2025: 80% on-time (84 flights)80February 2025: 75% on-time (78 flights)75Feb 2025March 2025: 86% on-time (88 flights)86April 2025: 91% on-time (86 flights)91May 2025: 85% on-time (66 flights)85May 2025June 2025: 74% on-time (58 flights)74July 2025: 60% on-time (57 flights)60August 2025: 84% on-time (61 flights)84Aug 2025September 2025: 89% on-time (56 flights)89October 2025: 89% on-time (65 flights)89November 2025: 80% on-time (59 flights)80Nov 2025December 2025: 78% on-time (41 flights)78January 2026: 67% on-time (78 flights)67February 2026: 77% on-time (84 flights)77Feb 2026March 2026: 76% on-time (93 flights)76April 2026: 83% on-time (72 flights)83May 2026: 77% on-time (62 flights)77May 2026June 2026: 79% on-time (57 flights)79July 2026: 61% on-time (59 flights)61

Best time to fly from DTW to LEX

Aim for departures around 4 p.m. (93% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (65%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, DTW to LEX8 a.m.: 84% on-time (331 flights)810 a.m.: 82% on-time (131 flights)103 p.m.: 83% on-time (534 flights)154 p.m.: 93% on-time (122 flights)167 p.m.: 65% on-time (161 flights)198 p.m.: 78% on-time (276 flights)209 p.m.: 83% on-time (220 flights)21scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday81%16 min
Tuesday85%11 min
Wednesday84%14 min
Thursday82%16 min
Friday76%22 min
Saturdaybest85%13 min
Sunday77%26 min

What causes delays on this route

Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.

  • Late-arriving aircraft3%
  • Airline operations74%
  • National airspace system9%
  • Weather14%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from DTW to LEX delayed?
19% of DTW–LEX flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-07 and 2026-07. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 17 minutes.
Which airline is most reliable from DTW to LEX?
Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 88%, based on 637 flights. 2 airlines flew DTW–LEX frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from DTW to LEX?
Departures around 4 p.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (65%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from DTW to LEX?
The scheduled DTW–LEX flight time averages 1h 20m over 296 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 19% of the time.
How often are DTW to LEX flights cancelled?
1.1% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
What is the worst month to fly from DTW to LEX?
July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 96%. If your dates are flexible, that 37-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 1,781 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.